An X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography Facility with in-situ/in operando testing.

材料技术有一个根本性的转变，即制造材料产品是根据特定的尺寸要求和功能量身定制的，并且是不均匀的，即具有复杂的3D结构和化学变化。因此，能够使用表征方法在三维空间中有效地评估新材料/产品，并应用环境来确定它们的结构和功能如何随着条件的变化而变化，这一点变得至关重要。x射线计算机断层扫描（MicroCT）是对物体内部三维微观结构进行无损成像的有力工具。MicroCT在医学领域已经有了良好的发展，在材料科学和工程研究中发挥着越来越重要的作用，现在已经成为EPSRC路线图上的核心技术。最近的技术进步使得首次将该技术的几个关键特征结合在一个仪器中成为可能：实际有用的样品尺寸（视野），< 0.5微米的分辨率，以及在同时成像3D微观结构的同时对样品进行现场测试。蔡司Xradia 620 Versa是一款最先进的x射线显微镜，具有创新的光学元件，针对非均质复合材料的3D非破坏性成像进行了优化。它与各种专业样品阶段相结合，允许在3D中对材料进行机械，电气和流体测试。提出的先进水平的微尺度计算机断层扫描将使研究人员大大提高对材料结构的洞察力，使科学家和工程师能够更好地表征各种材料，如飞机部件，新型电池材料，人体骨骼和组织，新型生物医学材料植入物和其他复杂材料。这将使研究人员能够开发出比现有替代品性能更好的材料，使它们更轻、更便宜、更坚固、更可持续。

There is a fundamental shift in materials technology towards manufacturing materials products which are tailor-made to specific dimensional requirements and function, and are inhomogeneous, i.e. having structure and chemistry which vary in 3D in a complex manner. It has become essential, therefore, to be able to employ characterisation methodologies that can effectively evaluate new materials/products in 3-dimensions, and to apply environments to determine how their structure, and therefore function, evolve with conditions. X-ray computed tomography (MicroCT) is a powerful tool for non-destructively imaging the interior 3-dimensional microstructure of objects. Being well established in the medical field, MicroCT is playing an increasingly pivotal role in materials science and engineering research, and is now a core-technology on the EPSRC roadmap.Very recent technological advances now make it possible for the first time to combine several crucial features of this technology in one instrument: a practically useful sample size (field of view), resolution of < 0.5 micrometre, and in-situ testing of samples while concurrently imaging the 3D microstructure.The Zeiss Xradia 620 Versa is a state-of-the-art X-ray Microscope with innovative optics, optimised for 3D non-destructive imaging of heterogeneous composite materials. It is combined with various specialist specimen stages to allow mechanical, electrical, and fluid-based testing of materials in 3D.Micro-scale computed tomography at the proposed advanced level will give researchers a massively improved insight into materials structures, enabling scientists and engineers to better characterise a diverse range of materials, such as aircraft components, new battery materials, human bone and tissue, new biomedical materials implants and other complex materials. This will allow researchers to develop materials that perform better than existing alternatives, making them lighter, less expensive, more robust and more sustainable.